‘Archer’ Season 11 Delayed Due to Coronavirus

Published on April 6, 2020

Season 11 of Archer was scheduled to debut in May, but FXX had to delay the animated comedy series until the fall. Due to the coronavirus impacting production, it’s just not possible for the show to be done and ready by May. A new premiere date will be announced in the near future. 

Archer Delayed

We’re lucky to get season 11 of the beloved comedy. Creator Adam Reed toyed with the idea of ending the show after season 10, but there are always more Sterling adventures to show. Once again, the not-so-super spy Sterling K. Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) is going through major changes in the next season.

In a statement, FX explained the delay of the upcoming season: 

“Due to production challenges and scheduling issues, season 11 of FXX’s Emmy award winning animated comedy series Archer will no longer premiere on May 6th. FX will shift the premiere date to later this year.”

The Future of Archer

Over the last few seasons, the writers behind Archer have completely shaken things up. Moving away from the spy formula, new seasons took Archer to new settings and timelines. Last season was in space, a season took place in Miami, and one season even went back to the past for a noir storyline. The makers of the show knew they needed to do something new. They’re doing what’s new and not familiar again with season 11. 

Archer has been in a coma for three years. As executive producer Matt Thompson teased to Entertainment Weekly, we’re going to see a very different Archer when he wakes up in season 11: 

“The personalities and situation of the office has changed. We’re definitely back to doing spy missions. But the roles and people’s personalities have changed. What’s also different is Archer is physically and mentally not what he was. He’s been in a bed for three years. His muscles have atrophied to the point where he can’t even walk that well… The main thing is Archer and how lost he is. He feels everyone has left him behind. The only person who seems to give a f— is Pam, and she’s like, ‘Hey, buddy, let’s go get a drink, I still love you.’ But everybody else treats him like an afterthought, he’s not what he was, and he’s actually making them worse at their jobs. He’s in the way. And that exploration of truly something different for Archer as a character is exciting for us.”

Archer, which is currently available on Hulu, is a good show to revisit or watch on a loop at the moment. After ten seasons, it’s impressive how much the show has reinvented itself and maintained its hardcore fanbase. The seasons in completely different settings are particularly beloved by fans. While season 11 is going back to the spy world, the writers on the show are thinking about a King Arthur-style season in the future. 

Other Shows Impacted by the Coronavirus 

Many shows have been postponed due to the coronavirus with production shutting down across the globe. While Netflix’s content schedule will remain on track for most of the year, other companies aren’t so lucky. FX, for example, had to delay the highly-anticipated new seasons of Fargo, Atlanta, and Y: The Last Man. Other favorites such as HBO’s Barry, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and Netflix’s The Witcher have stopped production as well, likely causing their planned premiere dates to get pushed back. 

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Jack Giroux is a Staff Writer at Grit Daily. Based in Los Angeles, he is an entertainment journalist who's previously written for Thrillist, Slash Film, Film School Rejects, and The Film Stage.

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